The Final Problem
by Mislav
Summary: Joan and Sherlock discuss the events after the Reichenbach, and future plans. Joanlock!


**A/N: I don't own any of the Elementary's characters and I am not making any money from writing this.**

**Please forgive any minor spelling or grammar mistakes, English is not my native language.**

**This is just a oneshot, unfortunately. I may write more oneshots later. And it is a Joanlock. Hell yes.**

Joan takes a deep breath and looks around, her mind still struggling to comprehend everything that had just taken place. She can still see the waterfall clearly, and the sun is still shining bright. There is nothing around except for some trees and stones, the ground is muddy. Complete silence surrounding her and her love. Nothing bit the two of them, and Clyde in a very special terrarium.

"What a day", she exclaims with a sigh, while Sherlock finishes drinking his bottle of water, seemingly unconcerned, unlike her, about his soaking wet clothing. "Merely twenty four hours ago, I was going through the case files in a five star hotel with a view to the waterfall. And now, I'm dead."

"When, actually, you have a whole life ahead of you." She returns him a smirk as he handles her a clean T-shirt. She takes it and turns her back on him, literally, before taking her soaking wet top off and throwing it aside. He can see the water drops glister against her smooth skin. Something seeps down his stomach and he feels a hot itch go up his throat, but he says nothing. Joan shivers part due to a cold wind, part due to feeling Sherlock's look on her body. She can still feel her heart thunder against her chest, her fingers are still trembling while she wipes her body dry with a towel. Her knuckles are bruised and aching, and there is still some blood on the front of her neck-she can't see it, but she can feel it, and she can smell it, despite all the water, and it is almost a gut wretching feeling, so she rubs the fabric against her flesh aggressively, hoping to remove it.

It doesn't go off.

She can her Sherlock taking his clothes off. The sounds remind her of the ones that she had heard merely four hours before, in their hotel room, after they made love, It sounds so familiar yet so different.

"Can you explain the sport's bag full of clean clothing, underwear, hair dyes, towels, scissors, disposable cellphones, make up and bottled water hidden in a hollow tree just underneath the waterfall?", she asks, trying to ignore that warm feeling suddenly speeding through her insides and, in the same time, her chest.

Sherlock smiles, having just put the underwear and pants on, tilting his head at the side for a moment. "I have you to thank for that actually." She crosses her arms over her chest, observing him. "You are the one who realized that this place was a part of Moriarty's plan all along. You noticed that she had drawn something inside your eyeball on that portrait of yours. A reflection. Of a waterfall. The same waterfall like the one that can be found right here and only here. You know that I had been gone for two hours after the breakfast, doing some, like I had said, research. I was actually examining the maps in a local library. I found out that, if one would somehow survive the fall from the waterfall, there are exactly seven locations to where he could swim to safety without being seen. I had some money with me, so I went shopping. After buying some necessities, storing them in a sport's bag and doing so seven times, I visited all those locations, hid the bags the best I could, and returned to the hotel room, where we two then engaged in a very remarkable session of what scientist would call coitus, and what I would call ""In case we don't survive" sex." "Of course, there was no way I could have predicted how exactly will all... that play out in the end, and what role will the waterfall play. But ever since you informed me about your finding, I carefully thought out every possibility. And I was prepared. Though I had oated never to pick out your undergarments, Jamie had forced the issue."

Joan's face lightens up at the sudden realization after she takes a sip of water. "And you are the one who threw those branches on the rock sticking up from the water, near the tracks."

He moves a step closer to her. "I did." Another step. "There was only one location matching that look of the waterfall. There was a forest near by." Two more steps. "I aim well. It wasn't hard." Their lips are almost touching. She says nothing. His hand moves up to cup her cheek. She shudders.

"Thank you for teaching me that... Japaneese wrestling system. It didn't save me for the fall... but it did get me some time."

"You're welcome."

He gazes into her eyes and says nothing for a moment. He looks almost lost in them.

"We will have to change our appearances", he eventually says. "Maybe you'll have to cut your hair short. I never thought about that... but I think that it would suit you well." He looks down at his chest and stomach, just for a moment. "Of course, I am much more recognizable... tattoos and all. But I'm sure we will be able to pull it off."

"Hence the hair dyes, scissors, bunch of make up and all", Joan concludes. "We will need fake IDs. Driving licences, passwords, new social security numbers and such."

"You pulled out later than me. Gave me quite a scare. But I knew that you will pull out. And I had enough time to call mrs Hudson. It is a good thing that you had her help us while we were still in New York, by the way. So the news didn't come off as a complete shock for her. I provided her with necessary information, she will take all the money that I had hidden on secret locations throughout New York-much like I did back in London-and mail it to us. As luck would have it, I have one of my contacts here. The money will be enough for her services. She will mail us the necessary documents within days. And supply us with some fire arm and amunition too. Neither of us are big fans of such things, of course, at least when it comes to non-investigation things... but in this case, it is necessary. We will also have enough money to pay for living expences for some time. And after that... I'm sure we'll find a way." He glares at her for a moment, while she is putting new panties on. "We always find a way."

Joan pouts her lips and runs her hand through her hair. It is wet and silky. She shivers at the touch. "She will be the only person who knows that we are still alive", she notes, kinda sadly.

"It has to be that way. She is an important part of the plan. Also, we need somebody to take care of the brownstone while we are... away. When we come back-and we will come back-I want to continue living there."

"Me too", Joan admitted silently before pulling her jeans on. Suddenly, she frowns. "But... where will we be staying? Where will those things be mailed?"

Sherlock just shrugs, looking not at all concerned. "Take a wild guess."

It takes her some time to figure things out. But once she does, a wide smile appeared on his face. "To that summer house ten miles away", she exclaims, Sherlock's facial expression being a confirmation enough. "The one that we had already searched for the purposes of our investigation but eventually ruled out of any suspicion. We know where the extra key is and we know that the owner's won't be back for at least a week. We only have to stay in there for a couple of days, change our apperances and then, the whole world is ours. Figuratively. Well, mostly."

"Don't you think they will grow suspicious... if they don't find the bodies?"

"Not finding the bodies wouldn't be surprising, giving the strength of this waterfall and dangers of it. I would be surprised if they manage to organize an actual water search. But if they do, they will find your shoes, our wallets and my watch."

He then walks over to the bang, pulling out a shirt. Joan is looking after him, something that she can't explain lingering on his face.

"Are you mad?", she asks, shivering as she does. She actually feels her lips quiver.

Sherlock turns to look at her and just gives her a blank stare, like he doesn't know what she is talking about.

"You know... about Jamie", she says, in a much lower voice. She feels cold chill go down her fists.

"You did what had to be done", he eventually exclaims, seemingly calm. The moment later, he even smirks, surprising her.

"It was quite impressive, actually", he admits. "Never in my entire career have I witnessed somebody murder another person with her bare hand in the waters." He Shakespeare his head, finally putting a shirt on. "There is a first time for anything, I suppose."

She smiles slightly and nods her head, suddenly remembering something. She looks him in the eyes. "I liked the note that you had left."

Sherlock nods his head in a sign of an agreement. For a moment, it looks like he is about to tear up. But that passes quickly. "Well, we had to provide some solace to captain Gregson and detective Bell until we finally get out of the hiding", he says, matter of factly.

"Which will be once we finally take down Moriarty's whole organisation", Joan concludes before locking eyes with her partner, friend and lover. He finally forms a smile and takes another step closer.

"It will be dangerous", he whispers.

"I know", she answers, her voice equally quiet and dark.

"I am not afraid", he states.

This time, she takes a step closer. Sherlock doesn't even twitch. "Neither am I", she states, her voice seductively low.

In the next moment, their lips met. Joan's hot breath invades Sherlock's mouth while the heat rushes up both of their's faces despite another rush of cold wind. They both in union at the renewed feelings of passion, desire... and expectation.

It is hard, it is dangerous, it is frightening. Falling from Reichenbach, fighting for life or death with a criminal mastermind, with nothing but your fists and your mind as a weapon, to hold at the branches while trying to remain above the water. But that is what makes her feel alive, and what keeps the connection that she has with your soul mate. She has to fight for justice, together with him, no matter what it takes, even if that means fighting within an inch of her life. Without that, she's nothing.

It's all a game. And right now, the game is afoot.


End file.
